Over the centuries, many different regional substitutes and adulterants have been introduced into the herbal marketplace, and many herbs that have similar names and appearances are easily confused. To achieve reliable therapeutic results and avoid potentially harmful substitutes, it is essential for Chinese medical practitioners to use correctly identified herbal medicines. This class will cover the basics of assessing adulterants in bulk herbs available in the U.S. market.

About your instructor:

Eric Brand is a graduate of the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and a fluent Chinese speaker with experience studying in mainland China and Taiwan, including an internship at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. He has participated in a number of projects related to Chinese medical translation and herbal research and has authored A Clinician's Guide to the Use of Granule Extracts and the Concise Chinese Materia Medica. Eric has a passion for Chinese herbal pharmacy and travels around the world to study with experts in the field of herbal authentication and quality discernment.